Corris, Forge, London then Singapore!

When Lisa and Steve got married under the Apple tree is 2013, I wrote a poem all about it.

When the tree fell down in the storms of that winter Lisa was devastated! She salvaged a few pieces and took them to their home in Southampton not sure what to do with them but needing a little piece of their witness tree to remain.

In the spring of 2014 I had taken the pieces up to the workshop and during the summer of that year Mark had kindly cut them into slices on his band saw.

All through the winter they had dried out until now, in the autumn of 2015 they were ready to be used. With the birth of Emelia I knew exactly what to make ….. Baby Bear Chairs!

In the Workshop I tell a story of how the Three Bears are brought to our shop by Goldilocks.

I point out the Daddy Bear chairs,

the Mummy bear chairs and of course the Baby Bear chair.

One third the size of normal chair it is built with the same strength and method.

When the Workshop closed in November, John spent a day with me as we made the chairs.

Considering how many photos I have taken of people doing courses and building things you would have thought I would have taken a few photos of Me making something but No.

The camera stayed by the side of my desk for the entire day so you will just have to trust me when I say I (with a lot of help from John) built the chairs!

I built two that although the same, turned out quite differently. One was chunky and squarish, the other more delicate and soft. I chose the one I wanted to take with me to Singapore and popped the other one into Lady Sage for safe keeping.

With the shop closed I now had no work to do either so all those jobs that had been waiting for me all summer now began to be done …..... well the indoor ones did!

The rain lashed down for a week solid, day and night! Flood water covered the Dyfi Valley, the bridge was closed as water burst the banks and flowed over the road.

The tent, that we had been meaning to re waterproof at Lou's collapsed and I began to go stir crazy in the house.

When the rain eventually stopped I rushed out doors to do as much as I could before it started again.

Landscaping at Lou's began in earnest.

I cleared ivy from the ground and made steps.

I dug out the old rotten wood pile and created a seating area.

I made a small growing patch and planted raspberry canes, fennel and a budlia for the butterfly’s.

Bit by bit it came together.

When the rain came I sat in the van and looked at my handy work envisioning what could be done next.

When the rain stopped I planted wild honey-suckle around the base of the climbing tree that I had rescued from the mountain behind my house.

When the sun showed its face I scrubbed the caravan with stiff brush and then began to paint it, something Lou and I had been saying we should do for over two years.

With one coat it looked OK but it needed a second coat.

I waited for the rain to stop again but it didn't. If it was dry in the morning it was raining by lunchtime, if it rained in the morning everything stayed wet all day.

The second coat would have to wait until spring!

Lou came down for a weekend at the end of November and we spent a very girly weekend collecting stones on Borth beach, driving miles into the forestry to find slate slabs and squirting expanding foam into every mouse entrance to the van we could find.

We had a night out in Machynlleth to celebrate the opening of the Red Lion, we sat up and put the world to right before climbing into our respective beds, Lou in the van and me in Lady Sage.

The week before I was due to leave for Singapore Kris and Romana arrived in London.

I drove down to Victoria's for a night, then drove Lady Sage to London to pick them up from the airport.

With Kris navigating with the aid of the magic blue dot we drove through London to Crystal Palace to stay with Brett who Kris and Romana had worked with in Cyprus.

I parked Lady Sage next to all the cars in the car park outside the apartments and drew the curtains.

Despite Bretts insistence that I stay in the house this was going to be one of the last opportunities I was going to get to sleep in the bus and I planned to enjoy it.

We were only going to be in London for two nights so a day of sight seeing was planned as Romana had never been to London before.

We bought day passes that allowed us onto any train, tube or double decker bus and then walked for miles!!

We caught a train to London Bridge where Brett has his South African shop.

Unusual dried meats, wine and breads fill the shelves. Sweets from home fill the cupboards. The South African flavours have been a hit with the Londoners and Brett's shop is a huge success.

We then walked across the bridge to the far embankment passing through winter street stalls playing music and offering crafts for sale.

We walked over Tower Bridge marvelling at its size and majesty.

Even though this was suppose to be for Romana's enjoyment I was having an amazing time!

We walked back across the millennium bridge because we could and stopped at one of the many stalls for something to eat.

With all this walking it was time to catch one of the double decker buses that London is famous for.

We sat in the front as it drove past the Tower of London, Big Ben and Parliament buildings. The traffic was crawling at a snails pace so there was plenty of time to look around.

Eventually we returned to Crystal palace to visit a huge pet shop where the Lizards seem to preach 'Crickets are friends not food!

Although I do feel some of the crickets push this mentality a bit far!

We went out for dinner and then had a few drinks.

I retired to Lady sage at midnight leaving the youngsters talking.

Tomorrow we would pop back to Porthcawl so Kris could see his Grandmother and Victoria before we headed back up into Wales.

I now had three days before I left!

A home the chair was packed into a box along with the various other things I thought would be useful. The box would be going in the hold and I wanted it to be looked after so I wrote a story onto it.

It was just a silly story about how a beautiful girl had once moved to Singapore with her husband leaving her Mommy sad behind her but when the Beautiful girl had a baby the Mommy bought a ticket to go and see her packing a special box full of things for the baby.

I wrote that when the box got to the airport all the wonderful people there looked after the box ALL the way to Singapore and because the beautiful girls Mommy wasn't able to say thank you to all the people who looked after the box she wrote a story onto the box just to say THANK YOU!

I covered the box with hearts and wrote 'Thank you very much' in Arabic, Malay and Chinese.

With my back pack packed, the box sealed and decorated I was ready to go! I said my goodbyes, promised to stay in touch and boarded the train.

 At the airport I stood in line as people were directed to different check in desks. When a desk became free I asked the lady directing if I should spet forward. “Oh!” she exclaimed, “I am sorry, I was just reading your box!” I stood still so she could finish her reading.

“What a lovely story!” she beamed at me indicating that I should step forward. At the desk I handed over my passport and had just begun the process of booking in when the lady stepped beside me and requested my passport from the girl.

“I am going to get you a nice seat” she grinned heading off to the end check in desk.

When she returned I was unsure of what had just occurred but everyone seemed very happy with themselves so I smiled and carried my box and backpack to the 'unusual size' check in. They were scanned, I was given a receipt and once the security checks were done I headed to the departure gate on the board.

It was only when I boarded the plane did I realise why everyone had looked so happy with themselves.

When everyone else turned right into Economy, I was directed left into Business!!!

I had been upgraded!!!

My story on a box that was meant to keep the box safe and people amused had landed me with a seat that turned into a bed!

I was given a drink while we waited for everyone to settle and then we were tootling down the runway and roaring into the air.

Business class is very comfortable and had more leg room that you know what to do with.

My only complaint is that the TV screen is too far away for my reading glasses and too near for my distance glasses so watching films was impossible with out getting eye ache!

I took the opportunity to sleep!

I reclined the seat to horizontal, popped on my eye shield and was soon sleeping away as we raced through the sky.

My meal was served, rice and veg curry, my drinks were poured, orange juice and pine-apple.

All in all the whole thing was most enjoyable!(although I don't ever think I would pay the huge difference in price for it!)

In Saudi Arabia we changed planes,

and even though it was hot in the middle of the night I remained aware that beneath my wool cardigan I had on only a top that showed my shoulders!!

Something to be remembered the next time I fly to Saudi!

I raced up the steps to find no upgrade on this part of the flight but as there was a young girl sitting in my allocated seat I asked if I could sit in the middle row as there was no one there. The stewardess just nodded so I took the row to myself.

I watched a film but as it was an Arabic airline the films were limited and most had been censored with fuzzy out of focus balls covering any showing of female bare shoulders and knees.

My meal arrived full of chicken!

Um Hindu Meal? No meat, eggs or fish?

“This is what they gave us” was the reply.

I stretched out over the four seats and went to sleep!

Breakfast consisted of an omelet and a roll, I ate the roll and pulled out the chocolate biscuits from my bag.

At least I had had plenty of sleep!

In Singapore Lisa was there to meet me as her Agent had insisted on taking her and Emelia to collect me.

The box and the rest of the luggage took an hour to come through to the carousel but at least I was there.

The box arrived all in one piece and my back pack arrived!

I picked them up and went through the gates to meet my daughter and grand daughter.

My winter vacation had begun!